Method for repairing holes in pavement

ABSTRACT

A method for repairing a hole in pavement comprises the steps of filling the hole with a filling material. One or more waterproofing cover sheet are placed over the hole, such that the hole and a portion of a surrounding area of the hole are covered. The waterproofing cover sheet is heated so as to make the waterproofing cover sheet adhere to the pavement, whereby the waterproofing cover sheet generally prevents water from infiltrating into the repaired pavement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the process of repairing holes inpavement, such as potholes in roads, streets and the like.

2. Background Art

Potholes commonly develop in pavement and are a constant source ofinconvenience and danger. They are also notoriously difficult to repair,especially in colder climates. Repeated cycles of freezing and thawingcan render pothole repairs ineffectual if water infiltrates into therepaired pavement and expands when temperatures drop below freezing.Consequently, it is desirable to limit the amount of water that caninfiltrate into repaired pavement.

Furthermore, vehicular traffic tends to wear out repaired potholes. Itis thus desirable to protect a repaired pothole from the friction causedby tires.

Prior-art methods and processes have been developed to help repairpotholes by protecting the repaired pavement from water infiltration.Such methods and processes include a step of placing or applying awaterproofing layer over the repaired pothole.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,353, issued on Feb. 2, 1993 toBuckelew, describes a method of repairing holes in pavement wherein asheet of material is laid down over a coating of tar applied over thetop of the paving repair material. This is not practical in colderclimates because the coating of tar requires that machinery providinghot tar be available at the pothole location. U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,677,issued to Barroso on May 20, 1997, describes a method for repairingcracked pavement that has the same disadvantage.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,498, issued on Aug. 26, 1997 to Freeman, alsodescribes a method of repairing roadways wherein an asphaltic upper topmat covers the filler material, extends over the damaged region andadheres to the roadway surface. The adherence of such a top mat is lessthan ideal, especially in colder climates.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,674, issued to Wilson, Sr., on May 12, 1998,describes another method of repairing pavement wherein a layer ofpolymer-fortified portland cement is applied during the filling to thehole and allowed to cure for a sufficient period of time before applyinga waterproof sealer layer over the entire repaired area. This is also amethod that is ill adapted to the rigors of a cold climate, since itrequires the machinery and time necessary to use a cement to repair thehole.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a simple and efficient methodof repairing potholes that is generally waterproof and that does notrequire excessive manpower or complex machinery.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novelmethod for repairing holes in pavement.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a method forrepairing holes in pavement that addresses issues pertaining to priorart.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided amethod for repairing a hole in pavement, comprising the steps of: i)filling the hole with a filling material; ii) placing at least onewaterproofing cover sheet over the hole, such that the hole and aportion of a surrounding area of the hole are covered; and iii) heatingthe waterproofing cover sheet so as to make the waterproofing coversheet adhere to the pavement; whereby the waterproofing cover sheetgenerally prevents water from infiltrating into the repaired pavement.

Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided amethod for making a waterproofing cover sheet to be used to repair holesin pavement, comprising the steps of: i) heating the waterproof materialto liquefaction; ii) pouring the waterproof material onto thelow-heat-resistant sheet material; and iii) cooling the waterproofmaterial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way ofillustration a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a hole in pavement repaired inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the hole in pavement of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIG. 1, a holein pavement repaired in accordance with a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention is generally shown at 10. Pavement is shown at 12 anda ground sublayer at 14. A hole 16 has been filled with filler material18 and covered using a waterproofing cover sheet 20 and a layer of loosematerial 22.

The present method of repairing the hole 16 comprises a step of fillingthe hole 16 with a filler material 18. The filler material 18 istypically in a form of a solid material of relatively high density so asto be capable of withstanding pressures (such as that caused by avehicle). For instance, a suitable filler material 18 is a pavingmaterial such as cold or hot asphalt. It is understood that any othersuitable paving material known in the art could also be used. It iscontemplated to compact the filler material 18 (e.g., cold asphalt) soas to ensure that the hole 16 is properly filled, for instance,preventing the presence of voids in the filler material 18, or betweenthe filler material 18 and the surface of the hole 16.

Once the hole 16 is filled with the filler material 18, one or more ofthe waterproofing cover sheet 20 is placed over the filling material 18and a surrounding area 24 of the hole 16. Multiple waterproofing coversheets 20 may be required for complete coverage depending on the size ofthe sheet and the area of the pavement to be repaired.

The waterproofing cover sheet(s) 20 is subsequently heated so as toadhere to the filler material 18 and the surrounding area 24. Theheating of the cover sheet 20 can be performed using various methods.For example, a simple hand torch may be used to heat the waterproofingcover sheet 20, thus necessitating very little manpower to complete thestep. When heated at a high temperature, the waterproofing cover sheet20 can liquefy (e.g., reach a boiling point of the material of the coversheet 20) and increase its adherence to the pavement. The material ofthe cover sheet 20, in its liquefied state, can penetrate theinterstices of the filler material 18 and surrounding area 24, therebyincreasing protection from water infiltration. Moreover, the fillingmaterial 18 is concealed within the hole 16, and protected from thecontact of vehicles or the like by the cover sheet(s) 20.

It is contemplated to provide the waterproofing cover sheet 20 in twolayers. A first layer consists of a low-heat-resistant materialsupporting a cover material, such as parchment paper. A second layerconsists of a generally waterproof material such as bituminous material,a polymer, or a mixture of both. It is understood that other waterproofmaterials can also be used. The layer of heat-resistant material can beremoved prior to the step of heating the waterproofing cover sheet, orit can be incinerated during the heating step.

The waterproofing cover sheets are preferably prefabricated by pouringliquefied waterproof material onto the low-heat-resistant material andletting it cool. As described above, it is understood that thewaterproofing material could consists of a bituminous material, apolymer, or a mixture of both. The cooling step can be performed byeither by letting the waterproofing cover sheets 20 sit at ambienttemperature or by accelerating the process using some type ofrefrigeration.

It is also contemplated to clean the surrounding area 24 and heat thesurrounding area 24 prior to covering the filler material 18 andsurrounding area 24 in order to improve the adherence of thewaterproofing cover sheet.

Once the waterproofing cover sheet 20 has been heated to adhere to therepaired hole and surrounding pavement, it is considered to spread loosematerial, such as dust, gravel, sand or the like over the waterproofingcover sheet in order to reduce its tackiness. Much of this loosematerial sticks to the heated waterproofing cover sheet, therebyprotecting the waterproofing cover sheet from passing traffic orpassersby. Advantageously, the presence of loose material 22 rapidlyrenders the repaired hole into condition for sustaining the wear causedby vehicles, by reducing the tacky surface of the cover sheets 20. In aneffort to reduce costs and simplify the procedure, loose materialalready found on the surrounding pavement 12 is preferably used to coverthe waterproofing cover sheet 20 thus removing the necessity oftransporting additional materials to complete the pothole repairprocess.

1. A method for repairing a hole in pavement, comprising the steps of;i) filling the hole with a filling material; ii) placing at least onewaterproofing cover sheet over the hole, such that the hole and aportion of a surrounding area of the hole are covered; and iii) heatingthe waterproofing cover sheet so as to make the waterproofing coversheet adhere to the pavement; whereby the waterproofing cover sheetgenerally prevents water from infiltrating into the repaired pavement.2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein step i) is performed byinserting the filling material into the hole and compacting the fillingmaterial.
 3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the fillingmaterial is cold asphalt.
 4. The method as defined in claim 1, furthercomprising a step of cleaning the surrounding area of the hole, prior tostep ii).
 5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a stepof heating the area surrounding the hole, performed prior to step ii),so as to ensure that the waterproofing cover sheet generally adheres tothe pavement.
 6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising astep iv) of covering the waterproofing cover sheet with loose materialso as to reduce the tackiness of the waterproofing cover sheet.
 7. Themethod as defined in claim 6, wherein step iv) is performed by coveringthe waterproofing cover sheet with existing loose material found on thepavement.
 8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the waterproofingcover sheet has a layer of low-heat-resistant material supporting alayer of waterproof material, the layer of low-heat-resistant materialbeing incinerated during step iii).
 9. The method as defined in claim 1,wherein the waterproofing cover sheet has a layer of low-heat-resistantmaterial supporting a layer of waterproof material, the layer oflow-heat-resistant material being removed from the layer of waterproofmaterial prior to step iii).
 10. The method as defined in claim 5,wherein the step of heating the waterproofing cover sheet is performedby generally liquefying the layer of waterproof material.
 11. A methodfor making a waterproofing cover sheet to be used to repair holes inpavement, comprising the steps of: i) heating the waterproof material toliquefaction; ii) pouring the waterproof material onto thelow-heat-resistant sheet material; and iii) cooling the waterproofmaterial.
 12. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein theheat-resistant material is parchment paper.
 13. The method as defined inclaim 11, wherein the waterproof material is bituminous.
 14. The methodas defined in claim 11, wherein the waterproof material is a polymer.15. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the waterproof materialis a mixture of bituminous and a polymer.